LYTHAM SEAFRONT

The seafront at Lytham is level with the beach and marshlands of the River Ribble estuary

Published: 29th February 2012

Modified: 31st December 2017

At Lytham seafront, the freshwater of the River Ribble meets the saltwater of the Irish Sea.

Lytham seafront, looking towards the River Ribble with the Windmill in the distance

Have a look at this Google map. These photos were taken roughly where the pin is on the map.

In the photo below we're looking towards the Irish Sea.

Lytham Green

Lytham Green was formed out of the uneven dunes and marsh lands of the shorefront. Beyond the footpath, ornamental railings and the area controlled by man, you'll see the age-old natural landscape.

Lytham Green runs along the full length of the waterfront and provides an open space for special events like the Lytham Proms, but all through the year it is somewhere for people to enjoy the outdoors. You’ll see people walking here all through the year, and in summer sitting on the grass, picnicking, playing games and enjoying the day.

Period architecture and sympathetic new-build properties at East Beach make a very attractive backdrop to the main highway at Lytham Green.

East Beach is separated from the waterfront by Lytham Green - a wide stretch of open grassland.

Lytham Windmill on Lytham's Seafront

This is where you’ll find the famous Lytham Windmill, standing tall on the edge of the shore.

Thanks to local volunteers you can go inside Lytham Windmill and take a look into a bygone world. The building in the foreground is also home to the Lifeboat Museum.

What's on Lytham Green

There are public car parks on the Green which are handy both for seafront walks and for visiting the town centre. Clifton Street, the main high street, lies parallel to East Beach and is only a short walk from the Green.

There is a block of Danfo public toilets adjacent to the Windmill. These are single cubicles and they take a 20p coin.

You’ll also find Lytham RNLI lifeboat station on the Green.

Why don’t you pop into the shop and see if any of their fabulous range of fundraising gifts takes your fancy?

Spectacular Views from Lytham Seafront

The views are spectacular and stretch right across the estuary of the River Ribble to north Wales.

The pin is in the same place on the Google map below. Southport (bottom left-ish corner) can easily be seen as one of the large areas of population.

Lytham sits on the turn of the coastline, where the estuary of the River Ribble opens out to sea. As a consequence, there's a big tidal range here, with the waters retreating a long way with each low tide.

Wildlife on Lytham Seafront

The strip of marshy grassland against the hard landscaping of the promenade is rarely covered by the tides and it's a margin of safety for high water in bad weather.

The sediment that's left behind by retreating tides provides the most magnificent feast for sea birds and waders which come to feed here.

Refreshed twice a day, it's laden with invertebrates that form a rich diet for resident birds. Thousands of migratory birds use it as a stop off point on their huge journeys.

It's a perfect habitat for species which inhabit marshlands, and over half of the whole Ribble Estuary is a National Nature Reserve.

The Ribble Estuary is the most important site in the UK for wintering wildfowl, with extensive mud and sand flats and one of the largest saltmarsh habitats in the country. It supports over 250,000 ducks, geese, swans and wading birds, and is internationally important for 16 species of wintering birds. The best times to see all this is in the autumn and winter months.

The birds running along the waters edge might look cute but they are trying to conserve vital energy and warmth while the tide is in and their feeding grounds are covered by water. Please don’t disturb them or let your dog run at them – they will just waste energy by flying away. That strength is difficult to replace when feeding grounds are covered and they can't eat.

In summer, the landscape is still active, when birds are nesting on the saltmarshes. Around the Ribble Nature Reserve you might be lucky enough to see three types of gull, common tern and redshank, skylark, meadow pipit and linnet, nesting on land which is managed by Natural England. Regions of saltmarsh are grazed by sheep and cattle in spring and summer to maintain the short grass on which wintering wildfowl rely. Look hard enough and you may see these birds nesting on the marshes at Lytham.

If you’re interested in the birdlife in the area, why not call in at the RSPB Ribble Discovery Centre, situated on the edge of Fairhaven Lake.

Fairhaven and Ansdell

East Beach parts away from the seafront for a short distance as you head towards St Annes and it turns into Clifton Drive. Your next landmark is the White Church on the corner of Ansdell Road.

At the White Church cross roads, turn left and head back to the sea and the main coastal road. This is Granny's Bay (below) and you’ll see Fairhaven Lake in front of you.

The area of Fairhaven sits between Lytham and St Annes, and the Lake is a popular attraction for people and wildlife alike.

Alternatively, you can take the seafront footpath from Lytham Green runs to Granny's Bay and it’s a pleasant stroll against the sea, watching the wading birds on the sands.

At Fairhaven Lake you can hire a rowing boat and mess about on the water, have a bite to eat at the lakeside cafe, or simply walk the next footpath around the back of the lake.